[Determination of actual risk factors for malaria infection for travelers by means of measurement of circumsporozoite antibodies].
Measurement of antibodies to circumsporozoite (CS) antigen of Plasmodium falciparum can be used as reliable indicator of malaria transmission in endemic areas. Sensitivity and specificity of an ELISA testkit for the detection of CS antibodies were assessed. In a second step, in order to estimate the actual rate of malaria infection, the prevalence of CS antibodies in serum was investigated in a selected population of travellers returning from sub-Saharan Africa and presenting without any clinical sign of malaria by use of an ELISA. CS antibodies could be detected in 47 out of the 222 investigated patients (21.2%), while 175 (78.8%) tested negative. Both groups did not differ in sex, age, destination or duration of journey or symptoms after return. There was, however, a considerable difference in travel type noticeable: 134 out of the 175 CS-negative patients (76.6%) travelled on a package tour, while this was only true for 8 out of the 47 CS-positive patients (17%, p < 0.001). These data demonstrate the importance of adequate malaria chemoprophylaxis in non-immune travellers to highly endemic areas.
Jelinek
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Abteilung für Infektions- und Tropenmedizin, Klinikums Innenstadt, Universität München, Deutschland.
Nothdurft
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HD
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D016782:Apicomplexa / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014195:Travel
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
Bestimmung des tatsächlichen Malaria-Infektionsrisikos für Reisende mittels Messung von Antikörpern gegen das Circumsporozoitenantigen von Plasmodium falciparum.